I have in my library
the book The Revelation Record: A Scientific and Devotional Commentary on
the Prophetic Book of the End of Times[i]
by Henry M. Morris – a commentary on the final book of the bible and a sort of
bookend companion piece to his similarly named commentary on Genesis. And it is a howler, ridiculousness on nearly
every page, far too many to share them all...
Despite the claim that
this is a “scientific” commentary on the book of Revelation, there is very little
actual science. There is, however, a
great deal of science fiction (or speculative fiction, if you prefer that
term). I’m beginning to think that Henry
M. Morris should have written science fiction; he might even have been pretty good
at it.
Consider his discussion of the Great War in Heaven described by John in Revelation chapter 12. Morris wrote, “With what weapons and by what tactics will this heavenly war be waged is beyond our understanding. Angels cannot be injured or slain with earthly weapons, and such physical forces as we know about are not able to move spiritual beings. But these beings do operate in a physical universe, so there must exist powerful physico-spiritual energies of which we yet can have only vague intimations, energies which can propel angelic bodies at superluminary velocities through space and which can move mountains and change planetary orbits. …”[ii]
Consider his discussion of the Great War in Heaven described by John in Revelation chapter 12. Morris wrote, “With what weapons and by what tactics will this heavenly war be waged is beyond our understanding. Angels cannot be injured or slain with earthly weapons, and such physical forces as we know about are not able to move spiritual beings. But these beings do operate in a physical universe, so there must exist powerful physico-spiritual energies of which we yet can have only vague intimations, energies which can propel angelic bodies at superluminary velocities through space and which can move mountains and change planetary orbits. …”[ii]
This is the stuff of
great science fiction, but it isn’t science.
Neither is it biblical exegesis.
Not sure why you'd pick this snippet to demonstrate a rationale for dismissing the book as a whole (which I haven't read myself, by the way--though I was impressed with THE GENESIS RECORD). The man is attempting to comprehend how nonphysical beings might wage war. Obviously we can't know the answer to this question, but there's nothing wrong with reasonable speculation.
ReplyDeleteAnd Morris's speculation here is, indeed, quite reasonable. Since angels aren't physical beings, then it's logically true that their warring must involve "powerful physico-spiritual energies." Not sure what problem you find with that.
Because this "speculation" is the antithesis of what he claims to have based his commentary on- SCIENCE - observable science. This is science fiction. - Dont' get me wrong. I like science fiction. But I don't base my interpretation of scripture on it.
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